Hurry up!

During the last day of the Japan trip as Swami was being driven by a young man to witness the cherry blossoms, Swami looked at the Pacific Ocean on the way and remarked, “This is the ocean between Japan and America!”. The young devotee driver responded, “Yes Swami! In fact, Shimoda port in Japan is the first ever port where an American man landed in 1800s. The Americans were hunting whales in the Pacific Ocean, and needed a place to store their things, and so they landed on this coast of Japan.”

Swami said, “Hunting poor sea creatures for greed is not good. Even Japanese do a lot of fishing.”

The driver asked, “Swami would this excessive fishing in Japan lead to problems for the people here?”

“Of course, yes, if you harm innocent creatures for your greed the Karma created out of it, will get back to you.”

“What is the solution to this Swami?”

“Spirituality is the solution. Ancient Japanese culture and for that matter all ancient cultures were based on ‘Faith in God’, respect for nature and love for fellow beings, as they knew everything is divine. We must rejuvenate that culture of Japan. The older generation cannot be changed easily, but if we teach this to the younger ones, transformation can happen. That alone can save the people of this country.”

The eager devotee submitted, “Swami! I want to do this fast so that we can help the people as soon as possible.”

Pat came the reply from Swami, “Isn’t it why I am in such a great hurry?”

Yes, He is in a great hurry to save as many, as early as possible, for the times are changing. He cautioned in His discourse in the morning to the Japanese devotees, “Those who do not change with changing times, will not find place in the new age. They will have to go, due to some reason or the other!”

When people ask, ‘What’s the big hurry to open more free schools, free hospitals and travel so often around the world’, probably they would find answer in Swami’s profound words to His devotees in Japan!